Journal, April 1753

The Board being informed that Mr. John Sharpe and several
merchants and planters interested in and trading to the Sugar
Colonies were attending and had something to offer to the Board,
they were called in and Mr. Sharpe acquainted the Board that
the gentlemen present were a committee appointed by the
merchants and others interested in and trading to the Sugar
Colonies to attend their lordships and lay before them their
sentiments upon a petition lately presented to the House of
Commons by the sugar refiners and grocers of the city of London
and Westminster complaining of the high price of sugars, etc.

Mr. Sharpe then observed to the Board that if the allowing
foreign sugars to be imported should be the consequence of this
application to Parliament, it would entirely ruin the Sugar
Colonies and put a stop to all further cultivation and improvement; that as this, however, was not a measure which he
apprehended likely to be fallen upon, he should not trouble their
lordships with any arguments upon the subject; that as to the
complaint of refining houses being erected in the plantations, the
planters had no objection to their being put down, hoping that
the regulations would be general to all the colonies, the Northern
ones as well as the Sugar Colonies.

That as to the duty of 6 pence per pound laid upon the importation of refined sugar in Jamaica, it was laid by the perpetual
Revenue Law prepared here and confirmed by his Majesty, and
therefore he submitted how far it might be proper to alter or
rescind that law by Act of Parliament, but that the planters had
no objection to it's being done in a proper method.

Maryland.

Read Mr. Lamb's report upon the draught of a bond to be
entered into for Horatio Sharpe, Esquire, as Lieutenant Governor
of Maryland.

Ordered that the Secretary do transmit the draught of a proper
bond filled up with the names of the two persons proposed by Lord
Baltimore to be security for the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland's observance of the laws of trade to the Secretary to the
Lords Commissioners of the Treasury that their Lordships might
give the necessary directions that the proper security be taken in
his Majesty's Exchequer.

Virginia.

Read an Order of Council, dated the 17th of March, 1753,
directing this Board to prepare an additional instruction for the
Governor of Virginia, impowering him to give his assent to any
Act or Acts for re-enacting two laws of that colony lately repealed
by his Majesty.

Ordered that the draught of an additional instruction be
accordingly prepared and also of a representation to his Majesty
in Council thereupon.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from Lieutenant General Fleming, Commander
in Chief of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated at St.
Christopher's, 23rd December, 1752, relating to the disorders in
the Island of Nevis.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Fox, Secretary at War, in answer to one
from this Board, dated the 16th instant, desiring to know what
directions may be necessary for their lordships to give Governor
Clinton in case the Assembly of New York should refuse to defray
the expence of transporting the mutineers at Oswego with the
witnesses against them to and from Halifax in order to their
being tried there.

Ordered that the Secretary do write to Mr. Clinton directing him
to send the mutineers at Oswego to Halifax to take their tryals.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Charles Knowles, Esquire, Governor of
Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 10th of January, 1753, containing further observations with respect to the irregular method
of entring and clearing ships and transmitting:—
A list of ships and vessels entered and cleared in the port of
Kingston between the 25th of December and 25th March,
1752, and from thence to Michaelmas following.

Ordered that the Secretary do transmit a copy of the said letter
to the Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury to
be laid before that Board.

Massachusets.

Read a letter from Mr. Phips, Lieutenant Governor of the
Massachusets Bay, to the Board, dated the 24th of January, 1753,
signifying his having communicated to the Council and Assembly
the additional instruction he had received from the late Lords
Justices relative to revising the laws of that province; and that
they are very fond of their present laws and averse to any
alteration.

Ordered that the draught of a representation thereupon to his
Majesty be prepared.

Massachusets.

Nova Scotia.

Read a petition of Samuel Waldo of Boston in New England,
Esquire, and Windham Beawes, attorney to Messrs. Robert
Mackey and John Corner of London, merchants, praying for a
grant of land to the petitioners, their heirs, associates and assigns,
of all his Majesty's right and interest in and to the tract of main
land and continent lying and being between the late province of
Main or Saggadehoc and the river St. Croix.

Mr. Gray attending pursuant to the minutes of Fryday last,
the 30th of March, was called in, and their lordships acquainted
him that the memorial presented by him appeared to them not
only the most extraordinary but also highly disrespectfull to this
Board and to government in general, inasmuch as it presumed to
point out to the Crown what persons were or were not proper to
be appointed Governors of Georgia: that such a proceeding and
behaviour in an infant colony was not [to] be parallelled, and
shewed that a very improper and refractory spirit prevailed
amongst the people there; but that however the Board should
pass no other censure upon them at present than rejecting the
memorial: that the people of Georgia might be assured that the
Crown would always have a due regard to their happiness, and
that it was fortunate that no other notice was taken at present of
so indecent, so improper a conduct; and the memorial having
been delivered to Mr. Gray, he was ordered to withdraw.

Plantations General.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from Mr. Clevland, Secretary to the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, in answer to one from Mr.
Pownall inclosing a copy of the 98th article of the general
instructions to the late Governor of the Leeward Islands.

Nova Scotia.

Read a report of Christopher Kilby, Esquire, upon the memorial
of Mr. Gould, agent to the 42nd Regiment, relative to the ballance
due to that Regiment on account of the four pences stopt for the
provisions.

Ordered that Mr. Gould and Mr. Kilby do attend the Board on
Friday next, the 6th instant.

New York.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following papers
received from Mr. Catherwood, agent for Mr. Clinton, Governor
of New York, viz.:—
Copy of Mr. Holland's affidavit relating to a charge against
him for receiving £40 for recommending Mr. Harme
Gansevoort to be Clerk of the County of Albany. Dated
the 24th of January, 1753.

This day being appointed for the consideration of Mr. Penn's
petition praying for the limits between Pennsylvania and the
Crown's territories in America may be ascertained and set out,
and Mr. Penn attending, with Mr. Paris his sollicitor, and also
Mr. Hammersley, sollicitor in behalf of Lord Baltimore, they were
called in; and Mr. Paris in behalf of Mr. Penn moved their
lordships that the consideration of this affair might be postponed
until this day sen'night in order to give Lord Baltimore an
opportunity of proposing such measures for an amicable determination of the differences between his Lordship and Mr. Penn as
he should think proper.

Mr. Hammersley acquainted their lordships that the reason
why this had not been already done and this affair considered
by Lord Baltimore and his friends was his Lordship's late
marriage, and the business in which the Speaker of the House
of Commons had been engaged, and therefore moved their
lordships to postpone the consideration of Mr. Penn's petition
until the 8th of May next in order to give time to Lord Baltimore
and his friends to consult their counsel.

Ordered that the consideration of this affair be postponed until
Tuesday the 8th of May, and that the parties do attend the Board
on that day.

Massachusets.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the letter
from Mr. Phips, Lieutenant Governor of the Massachusets Bay,
mentioned in the minutes of the 3rd instant, was laid before the
Board, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Virginia.

The draught of an additional instruction to the Governor of
Virginia for the re-enacting two laws repealed by his Majesty,
and also the draught of a representation to his Majesty therewith having been prepared, was laid before the Board and
agreed to, and the representation having been transcribed was
signed.

Massachusetts.

Nova Scotia.

Their lordships took into consideration the petition of Messrs.
Waldo and Beawes praying for a grant of land lying between the
rivers Sagadehock and St. Croix in America, mentioned in the
minutes of the 3rd instant; and the petitioners attending were
called in, and their lordships acquainted them, that as to the claim
to Nova Scotia upon which their petition was founded, the Crown
having, by the treaty of Breda yielded that country to France,
all private property or rights thereto was thereby extinguished,
and no title to lands there could be good or valid unless by a
grant from the Crown subsequent to the treaty of Utrecht; that
as to the lands between Sagadehock and St. Croix it would be
improper to advise his Majesty to make any grants thereof, as
not only the province of the Massachusets Bay but also many
private persons had claims thereto, which were as yet unadjusted;
and therefore for these reasons the Board could not comply with
their petition.

Friday, April 6. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Lord
Dupplin.

Leeward Islands.

Their lordships took into further consideration the draught of
general instructions prepared for Mr. Thomas, Governor of the
Leeward Islands, and made a further progress therein.

Read a letter from Mr. Walcott, Governor of Connecticut, dated
the 10th of December, 1752, acknowledging the receipt of his
Majesty's Order in Council of the 11th of March, 1751, and
transmitting:—
A book of the Acts and Laws of that colony from the first
establishment to the present time.

Ordered that the said Laws be sent to Mr. Lamb for his opinion
thereupon in point of law.

Nova Scotia.

Read Mr. Kilby's report upon the memorial of Lieutenant
William Martin, referred to him the 13th of March last, praying
payment of a sum due to him for services done relative to that
province.

Read a letter from Thomas Dove, Esquire, late captain of his
Majesty's sloop The Hound, to the Honourable Edward Cornwallis,
late Governor of Nova Scotia, concerning the difficulty he meets
with in obtaining from the Navy Board a certificate for his pay
during his command of the said sloop.

Ordered that the Secretary do write to the Secretary to the
Board of Ordnance to desire he would acquaint that Board that
the particulars mentioned in Mr. Dove's letter were lent by him
to the use of the government, and that this Board will give
directions to Mr. Hopson, Governor of Nova Scotia, to see the
same restored.

Read a memorial of Mr. John Lonus of Halifax in Nova Scotia
to the Board, praying payment of a sum of money due to him for
816 bushels of charcoal which he supplied the province with by
order of Richard Bulkeley, Esquire.

Read a memorial of Leonard Anton Treber, clerk and foreman
in the works at the Peninsular Blockhouse in Nova Scotia to the
Board praying their lordships' orders for the payment of his
wages at 2s. 6d. per day, as promised him by Mr. Bulkeley.

Read the humble petition of John Duckworth, surgeon on
board the Nancy Brigg, praying an allowance for his attendance
upon the passengers on board the said ship as surgeon during the
voyage to Nova Scotia.

Ordered that the two foregoing memorials and petition be
referred to Mr. Kilby to consider thereof, and report his opinion
to the Board upon them.

Read a letter from Mr. King Gould, late agent to the 42nd
Regiment, desiring Mr. Pownall would acquaint the Board that
he is prevented by a severe fit of the gout, waiting upon their
lordships agreeable to their commands signified to him on the
5th instant.

Ordered that a copy of Mr. Kilby's report upon his petition be
transmitted to him for his answer thereto in writing if he thinks
proper.

North Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Rice, President of the Council and
Commander in Chief of North Carolina, to the Board, dated the
13th of December, 1752, acknowledging the receipt of two packets
from their lordships to the late Governor Johnston, dated the
28th of April and 3rd of June last, and transmitting:—
Minutes of Council in April and August, 1752.

The Secretary laid before the Board a collection of all the laws
now in force in North Carolina received from the agent for the
said province.

The Secretary laid before the Board the two following reports
of his Majesty's Attorney and Sollicitor General, viz.:—
Report of his Majesty's Attorney and Sollicitor General,
dated the 7th instant, in consequence of Mr. Pownall's
letter to them of the 30th of March last, containing their
opinion concerning the validity of the treaty of neutrality
in America concluded in 1686.
Report of his Majesty's Attorney and Sollicitor General,
dated the 7th instant, containing their opinion upon the
articles of instructions given to the late Governor Mathew
relative to appeals and Mr. Sharpe's observations thereupon, referred to them by Mr. Pownall's letter of the 17th
of March last.

Their lordships then took into consideration the draughts of
general instructions and of those which relate to the Acts of
Trade and Navigation, prepared for George Thomas. Esquire,
Governor of the Leeward Islands, and the same having been
agreed to, were ordered to be transcribed and the draught of a
representation to his Majesty thereupon to be prepared.

Maryland.

The draught of instructions for Lord Baltimore, Proprietary
of Maryland, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of
the 8th of March last, were laid before the Board, agreed to and
ordered to be transcribed, and the draught of a representation to
his Majesty thereupon to be prepared.

Read a petition of Charles Dunbar, Esquire, to the Board
praying that his name may stand in his rank in the list of
Councillors in the Island of Antigua he having been suspended
by Governor Mathew.

St. Christopher's.

Read a petition of Edward Jessop, Esquire, to the Board,
praying that his suspension may be taken off as one of the Council
in the Island of St. Christopher's, and that he may be restored to
his seat in the said Council.

Leeward Islands.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the
general instructions, and those relative to the Acts of Trade and
Navigation, for George Thomas, Esquire, Governor of the
Leeward Islands, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes
of Thursday last, was laid before the Board, agreed to and
ordered to be transcribed.

The Secretary laid before the Board:—Maryland.
Certificate from the Remembrancer's Office of security having
been given by Horatio Sharpe, Esquire, for the due
execution of his office of Lieutenant Governor of Maryland.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the
instructions relative to the Acts of Trade and Navigation for
Lord Baltimore, Proprietary of Maryland, having been prepared
pursuant to the minutes of Thursday last, was laid before the
Board, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

North Carolina.

Their lordships took into further consideration the state of
affairs in his Majesty's province of North Carolina, and ordered
a state of the case with respect to the Act passed there in 1746,
for ascertaining the number of the Assembly and queries thereupon to be prepared, in order to lay before the Attorney and
Sollicitor General for their opinion.

Nova Scotia.

Read a memorial of Mr. Kilby to the Lords of the Treasury
praying that £11,374 2s. 9d. may be issued to him to answer
certain Bills and other demands for the service of Nova Scotia,
having been laid before the Board their lordships approved
thereof, and ordered Mr. Kilby to present the same to the Lords
Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury for their directions
thereupon.

The Right Honourable Horatio Walpole, Esquire, being present,
their lordships made a further progress in the consideration of
the state of affairs in his Majesty's province of North Carolina
more particularly with respect to the confused state of the grants
of land and quit rents therein.

Leeward Islands.

Mr. Thomas, Governor of the Leeward Islands, attending, was
called in, and the letters lately received from Mr. Fleming,
Lieutenant General of the said Islands, relative to the disorders
and disturbances in the Island of Nevis having been read, it was
recommended to Mr. Thomas as soon as possible after his arrival
in his government to inquire into the state of this affair and to use
his utmost endeavours to put a stop to such disorders and
irregular proceedings, and to transmit a particular account thereof,
and of his conduct therein to the Board.

Their lordships further recommended to Mr. Thomas to make
particular enquiry into the state of the Virgin Islands, and the
letter to Mr. Mathew, late Governor of the Leeward Islands,
relative to this affair, dated the 11th of March, 1752, having
been read, a copy thereof was ordered to be delivered to him, and
he was desired to comply with the directions therein contained.

Leeward Islands.

A letter from the Right Honourable Horatio Walpole to the
Board, relating to the irregular proceedings of the Receiver
General of the casual revenue, and of his having deputed Mr.
Webb, Attorney General, to bring the said Receiver to an account,
and desiring their lordships will give directions to Governor
Thomas to be aiding and assisting to the said Attorney General,
in order to bring the said Receiver General to a regular account,
having been read, Mr. Thomas was desired to take all proper
measures for bringing the said Receiver of the casual revenue to a
proper account, and to acquaint the Board with his proceedings
therein.

Nevis.

Montserrat.

There being three vacancies in the Council of Nevis, and two
in the Council of Montserrat, Mr. Thomas was directed
immediately upon his arrival in his government to transmit the
names of such persons as he shall find there properly qualified to
supply the said vacancies.

Leeward Islands.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty with the general
instructions and those relative to the Acts of Trade for Mr. Thomas,
Governor of the Leeward Islands, having been transcribed
pursuant to the preceding minutes, was signed.

Maryland.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty with the
instructions for the Proprietary of Maryland relative to the Acts
of Trade having been transcribed pursuant to the preceding
minutes, was signed.

Massachusets.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon a letter
from Mr. Phips, Lieutenant Governor of the Massachusets Bay,
having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of the 5th
instant, was signed.